Islamabad – The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has marked the successful conclusion of the Project for Agri-Food and Agro-Industry Development Assistance (PAFAID) and in this regard a closing ceremony was held here at a local hotel.
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain was the chief guest on the occasion.
While appreciating the joint efforts of UNIDO and JICA, Rana Tanveer Hussain expressed his confidence the project would be useful for research and development of agriculture and food security situation. UNIDO and JICA have carried out a project that was the most relevant in the current scenario, he said highlighting the importance of advancing Pakistan’s agricultural, livestock, and food security sectors through innovative practices, sustainable resource use, and value addition.
He emphasised the government’s commitment to agriculture-led economic growth, improving food safety standards, and enhancing export capacity in livestock and horticulture.
The PAFAID initiative, implemented since September 2019, focused on enhancing the productive and compliance capacities in the cattle meat value chain in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the apple value chain in Balochistan. The project achieved remarkable milestones, including the establishment of state-of-the-art meat processing training facility, meat testing laboratories, apple grading facilities, fruit processing unit and the training of over 2,230 stakeholders, including farmers, processors, and government officials, in best practices and modern techniques.
UNIDO Country Representative, Ms Nadia Aftab highlighted the significance of the project, stating: “Over the past five years, the PAFAID project has successfully enhanced the productive and compliance capacities of the meat and apple value chains.
We’ve empowered local processors, especially women, and boosted food safety and market access. This would not have been possible without the collaboration of key stakeholders, and we thank the Governments of Japan and Pakistan, and JICA for their invaluable support.”
JICA Chief Representative Naoaki Miyata expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts, adding:
“This partnership has demonstrated the transformative potential of targeted development initiatives, and we look forward to continuing our support for sustainable agriculture in Pakistan.”
The ceremony concluded with the distribution of certificates to beneficiaries and partners who played a vital role in the project’s success, followed by a showcase of the facilities and value-added products developed under the initiative.
